Method of making composite material



MATERIAL L. T. FREDERICK Filed Dec. 23,

METHOD OF MAKING COMPOSITE April 7, 1931.

f N v/v TOR A ou/s Z fkEDER/ CK Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS T. IREDEBIOK, OF VALPARAIBO, INDIANA, ASBIGNOB 'I'O I'IBBOO UBULA'I'IOH COMPANY, OF VALPABAISO, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OI INDIANA METHOD 01" MAKING COMPOSITE MATERIAL Application Med December 88, 1888. Serial Io. 156,880.

My invention relates to methods for producing composite material including particularl a com osition of fibrous material an reaction pro uct such as Bakelite. My present invention contem lates more particularly the roduction of diy sheets or strips in whic the reaction product is in unreacted condition so that the resulting sheets may be arranged in layers to produce'plates, boards, lgear blanks and the like when subjected to eat and pressure, or me be comminuted or shredded to reduce mo ding material. In addition to t e eneral pu ose of the machine and metho it is my 0 act to make it possible to utilize 'scra s of fi rous material consisting frequently 0 by-products or waste products from other industries." For example, in the manufacture of shoes considerable quantities of scraps of canvas and duck are produced, and the same is true in connection with the clothing trade and in trades using cotton waste, pa er stock and other fibrous materials. Anot or object is to produce a sheet of uniform texture and quality. Kindred objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a'machine embodying one phase of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of a pip'tion. of the machine-at the left of Figure Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating one form of product.

Like numerals denote like parts throughout the several views.

In the form selected to illustrate the in-- vention there is a vertical chute or tower 10 having an opening in the side adjacent to mote from the towel; there is a tates constantly when the machine is in use and serves to cause an endless screen belt to d travel around drum 12 and pulley 18. The

screen belt is of course mous to air, and hence permits the air to drawn through it from t e tower. In the special construction shown the upper run of the screenbelt is not completely horizontal but passbs over-a guide roller 22 located not far from drum 14; thence under a guide roller 24; thence under and up around a guide roller 26 located at a short distance from the roller 24; thence up and around a guide roller 30 which is on the same level as roller 22 and at a relatively short distance from it, for example a foot or two. Between the rollers 22 and 30 there is a drip pan 32 for collecting any drippings from thespra pipe 34 whose function is to spray the bin er uplon the work strip as the latter passes beneat it. The binder ordinarily consists of a solution of a reaction product such as Bakelite, that is, a phenol formaldehyde condensation or reaction product, whose characteristic is to harden under the action of heat and pressure.

It is desirable to place a stripper rod 36 beneath the work strip at the far end of the pan 32 as illustrated in Figure 1.

At a point beyond the spray apparatus just described there is a dryer consistin in the present case of a casing 38 located bfiow the upper run of the screen belt 20 and a hood or casing 40 located above it. The latter is equipped with a flue or uptake 42 for removing t e fumes and moisture. Inside of this heater are heating elements 44 which may be electric resistant units, gas heaters, steam coils or other known heatin means.

Located at the far end 0 the machine rede roller 46 and a takeup reel 48. At the ead end. of the machine below the lower rulf of screen belt 20 is a storage reel 50.

Now to describe the method which may be carried out mechanically by means of the apparatus shown and described: A supply of fabric in the form of a roll 52 is laced upon the sup ly reel and the strip led thence aroun the inner end of drum 12;

thence over the top of it outside of the screen belt '20 directl to the guide roller 46. Thus in the form i ustrated the fabric strip does not follow the screen belt at all points but is separate therefrom in the neighborhood of t e drip pan 32. When the machine is ready for operation particles of the work material are dropped down through tower 10.

small pieces of canvas, duck, linen fabric, paper, cotton waste or lint. As they approach the neighborhood of drum 12 they are induced by suction to float toward it and pile themselves upon the air pervious strip 52 overlying the screen belt 20. They become felted or matted upon this foundation strip to a thickness depending upon various factors such as the rate at which the belt is traveling, the intensity of the suction and the density ofthe falling column of particles within tower 10. r 1

Until the articles arrive at approximately the top 0 drum 12 they are held in position by suction. Thereafter as the belt starts on its horizontal run the felted material will remain on it simply under the action of ravity. Soon after the work material has eft the drum it comes beneath the sprinkler 34 which applies a solution of the binding material. The work strip is of course porous and the motion com aratively slow, and it is desirable to thoroug 1y im regnate the work material. Therefore it esirable to apply a surplus of the binder, and this surplus drips through into pan 32, the remnant being stripped ed" by the stripper rod 36 as the work material finally leaves the pan.

Thereafter the work strip passes through the dryer 38, 40 where the solvent is removed from the binder, thus causing the work strip to issue from the dryer in dry c ndition thoroughly impregnated with the inder., The strip is then rolled up on the takeup reel 48.

When the binder is of the phenol condensation product ty e, the product produced by my machine and method may be used in various known ways, for example it may be cut up into sheets, the sheets plled one upon another and the pile subjected to heat and pressure to produce a so-called laminated product; or the product of my machine and method may be ground, chopped up or shredded to produce a molding material, which may be introduced into molds and there subjected to heat and pressure to produce various mechanical elements. One of the chief advantages of my invention, however, is that it makes it possible to produce a truly laminated roduct from small scraps of fibrous material? and it is known by those familiar with the art that a laminated product is stronger as a rule than a product composed of small particles of fibrous material irregularly arranged and held together by the reacted binder. My invention makes it As above indicated these consist of small particles of fibrous material such as possible to produce actual sheets of material treated wit unreacted binder ready for introduction into the hot press in which the reaction takes place and the sheets are consolidated and rendered insoluble and infusible in the form of a so-called laminated product. It will be observed that the backin strip 52 remains with the rest of the pro uct; in fact it becomes a art thereof because where thin and loose y woven fabric like cheesecloth is employed as the backin strip the air suction actually draws some 0 the fibers into the meshes of the cheesecloth so that to a certain extent they become incorporated therewith, an efi'ect which is usually enhanced to a certain extent b the binder which drips through and ten s to carry any loose fibers with it down through the cheesecloth. The result is that a unified product results and the final stri or sheet ma be handled as a unitary artic e.

I do not herein claim the machine for accomplishing the novel process of my present invention, the same forming the subject matter of my co-pendin application, Serial Number 262,401, filed arch 17th, 1928; and I do not claim herein the material formed through the practice of the method of my present invention, since the same forms the subject matter of my co-pendin applica tion, Serial No. 176,416, filed -Marc 18, 1927.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is v 1. The method of making a composite material of the heat curable type which consists in forminga cloud offibrous particles, moving an air pervious backin stri adJacent the cloud, creating pneumatic suction behind the backing strip to draw the particles onto the backing strip in felted relationship thereafter saturating the felted materiel an the backing strip with a solution of a suitable heat curable binder and finally drying the saturated material in order to drive of the binder solution to produce a composite sheet of material capable of being molded by; heat and pressure. F

2. The method of making composite ma terial which consists in forming a cloud of fibrous particles, moving an air pervious backing stripadjacent the cloud of particles, creating a draft of air through the backing strip to draw fibrous particles from the cloud and packing them upon the backing strip in felted relationship, and thereafter treatin the backing strip and the/material fel thereon with a suitable binder to produces composite sheet of material in a continuous manner.

I 3. The method of maln'ng com osite material which consists in piling fi rous particles in felted relationship upon an air pervious backing stri b means of suction operating through t e acking strip to form a composite sheet com rising the backing stri and the particles lted thereon and by fine y applying a suitable resin to the composite sheet.

I 4. The method of making com osite ma terial ,which consists in piling fi rous particles in felted relationship upon an air pervious backing strip! by means of suction operating throu h t e backing strip to form 10 a composite s set com rising the backing and the particles felte thereon.

5. The method of making comgosite material, which consists in felting fi rous particles into the interstices of an air pervious 15 backing strip by means of a current of air operating through the backing strip to form a composite sheet com risin the backing strip and the particles elted. t ereon.

6'. The methodofmakingcomgosite ma- 20 terial, which consists in felting fi rous particles into the interstices of an air pervlous backing stri to form a composite sheetcomrising the acking strip and the particles elted thereon;

2s a In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LOUIS T. FREDERICK.

a composite sheet com rising the backing stri and the particles ihlted thereon and by fine y applying a suitable resin to the composite sheet.

8 4. The method of making com osite material ,which consists in piling fi rous particles in felted relationship upon an air pervious backing stri by means of suction operating through t e backing strip to form 10 a composite sheet com rising the backing and the particles felte thereon.

5. The method of making com osite material, which consists in felting fi rous particles into the interstices of an air pervlous 15 backing strip by means of a current of air operating through the backing strip to form a composite sheet comprisin the backing strip and the articles felted t ereon.

6. The met odof making com osite ma- 20 terial, which consists in felting fi rous particles into the interstices of an air pervious backing stri to form a composite sheet comrising the acking strip and the particles elted thereon.

20 In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LOUIS T. FREDERICK.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,799,506. Granted April 7, 1931, to

LOUIS r. FREDERICK.

l t is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to "Fibroc Insulation Company, of Valparaiso, Indiana. a corporation of Indiana", as a mice of the entire interest in said tnventionfwhereas said patent should ve been issued to the Continental Diamond Fibre Company, of Newark, Delaware, a corporation of Delaware, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the 1mm Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of April, A. D. 1931.

a M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,799,506. Granted April 7, l93l, to

LOUIS T. FREDERICK.

it is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to "F ihroc insulation Company, of Valparaiso, Indiana. a corporation of Indiana", as assignee of the entire interest in said invention, whereas said patent should have been issued to the Continental Diamond Fibre Company. of Newark, Delaware, a corporation of Delaware, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of April. A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

